Who is Danny Green and what does he bring to Toronto?

Acquiring Kawhi Leonard is by far the biggest trade in Raptors history. Landing our first superstar (with all due respect to DeRozan) since Vince Carter has given fans a new breath of life. But with all the noise it generated, many missed a key pickup for the Raptors. Enter Danny Green, a well decorated NBA starter who has spent his past eight seasons with the San Antonio Spurs.

Drafted in 2009 by the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team waived Green after 20 games. After bouncing around a bit, Green signed with the Spurs and had a breakout season in 2011, nearly doubling his production. Furthermore, maturing as a consistent “3 & D” player resulted in Green starting for most of his games. Since then, Green has consistently proved himself as a reliable starter in the season and playoffs.

Evidently, Green’s defensive excellence has been present throughout his college career as well. Albeit he was known as a solid starter, Green cemented himself as a borderline 3&D all-star in the playoffs. Despite averaging mediocre numbers, Green shot the 3-ball at a 48% success rate in the 2013 playoffs. Not only did he play a crucial role in San Antonio reaching the finals, he also broke Ray Allen’s NBA record for the most 3-pointers in a finals series – notching a grand total of 27. Green also took on the toughest defensive assignments and proved himself capable of them throughout the season and playoffs. Klay Thompson, Dwyane Wade, and Russel Westbrook are just a few notable stars that Green held his own against. It sounds like a lie so I’ll offer you all with some eye candy.

If you haven’t gotten the picture yet, I’ll explain it in a simple way. The Toronto Raptors managed to snag Danny Green, a defensive all-star capable of any assignment. His consistent 3-ball, defensive discipline, and veteran experience are exactly what the Toronto Raptors need. Had he been on the team last season, we may have been able to avoid a sweep (maybe even win the series!).